Klarinet Archive - Posting 000007.txt from 2007/08

From: Tim Roberts <timr@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: Clarinet Manufacture - Differences between French and
Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:20:22 -0400

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 17:17:38 -0500, <Tom.Henson@-----.com> wrote:
> Is this scientific enough for you Forest?
>
> US Patent # 190254 filed on 7-5-2002.
>
> Please note the following description of the patent below in quotes. I
> also found many hits on Google describing various methods to evaluate
> the resonance of wood, even when it is still a growing tree planted in
> the ground. It took all of 5 minutes to find this information readily
> available on the web, one article coming from the Acoustical Society of
> America no less.
>
> "Modes of body vibration and the resonance frequencies in the body
> vibration spectrum can be modeled by finite element analysis (FEA) or
> with more accuracy, by testing. A simple but effective test method for
> instrument body resonance spectrum analysis is the impulse or "tap"
> test. "
>

Did you read the patent? This is talking about violins and guitars --
thin bodied instruments. I grant as established fact that violin and
guitar bodies vibrate sympathetically, and that this vibration affects
the sound of the instrument in sometimes dramatic ways. I do NOT grant
that with clarinet bodies.

I actually tapped my clarinet in many places with several different
types of tools at last weeks rehearsal as an experiment. Besides the
"tick" of the impact, there was no "resonance", and I still think it is
folly to claim that a seasoned professional could detect any. There's
just too much mass.

Interestingly, if you read the claims in this patent (which is all that
matters in court), these people have actually patented the string
instrument:

What is claimed it:
1. A musical instrument, comprising;
a mechanism for generating a musical sound; and
a body attached to said sound generating mechanism, at least a
portion of said body comprising a space frame.

That's the entire first claim. In my not so legal opinion, one could
probably find a pretty substantial body of prior art to invalidate this
claim.

--
Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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